Diet Stress

This is a wonderful time to be alive. If only the average person from the 1930's could miraculously appear in a Golden Corral seeing the "all you can eat" buffet they would be truly amazed. All that food at your fingertips. Just eat up until your ready to pop! Well, all that food causing the extra baggage we carry around our middles can cause stress in our lives.
First, we are concerned about how we look and what people may think of us. Secondly, the extra weight is a constant stress on our bodily systems. But, with so much food around us all the time and all the commercials telling and showing us all of the scrumptious things we can eat, what can we do to combat this stress?
1. Understand dieting is a work in progress. Its what we have a habit of eating. And, we cannot change a habit in one day, two days or even two moths. Its a long term process.
2. We have to understand the process of changing a habit.
a. You think about and plan what you want to do and set a goal.
b. You come up with a plan, your diet.
c. You try the plan-your diet.
d. You mess up and eat things you shouldn't.
*e. Normally you become discouraged and quit thinking you are not capable of loosing weight. However, this is what you should do. You should treat this eating digression as an experience and say to yourself, " Oh well, I made a mistake today, but I'm not giving up. I'll just get back on the wagon and keep trying until I get it right."
f. Get back on the plan-the diet-and keep practicing it until you get if right. Be prepared for this to take some times. Habits, especially good habits, take a long time to acquire. Your goal may take a year or more to achieve so don't become discouraged. YOU CAN DO IT!
g. Eventually you will find the diet will become easier and you will make fewer mistakes.
h. Eventually you will achieve your goal and your diet will seem normal and natural. This may take a year or more to do.
DON'T GIVE UP. DON'T PUT YOURSELF DOWN! Just beginning this process puts you ahead of the class and proves you have the stuff to do this if you just keep trying and practicing.
"Nuff Said"

Chair Massage Event

$1 chair massage available Sat. Sept. 27 at the annual MS Walk/Run at Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, TX! Come out and participate in the fun and festivities for a good cause. And, get a relaxing chair massage at the following rates.
$1 for three minutes
$5 for six minutes
$10 for twelve minutes
Proceeds got to the MS Foundation.
See ya' there between 7:30 and 10:30 am.

Stress and Diabetes

I am amazed at the increasing number of people around me who have type II diabetes-I have it , also. While its obvious diet play a significant role in this problem, we should also explore how stress effect it. Therefore, the following article is enclosed to give you some useful information on the subject. Please read and heed. thanks, BG
__________

KEEP STRESS
IN CHECK

“So how does stress effect your body? When you are in a stressful situation your body reacts with the fight-or–flight response. This gets you ready for action or escape. Your body also produces stress hormones that change stored forms of glucose into blood glucose. The short-term effect is to raise blood glucose levels for quick action. However, people with diabetes might have a longer period of high blood glucose than the body needs.
Long term stress can cause a person to have raised glucose levels for an extended period of time. Stress can also make it more difficult to follow a diabetes management plan.

ARE YOU STRESSED OUT?
Stress can effect your body, mind and behavior. Some physical signs of stress may include:
* A faster or irregular heartbeat and rapid breathing
* Sweating
* Muscle tension
* Upset stomach

When you have an emotional reaction to stress you might feel:
* Anxious
* Irritable
* Angry
* Depressed

MANAGE STRESS IN DAILY LIFE
Even when you can’t change the source of stress , you can change how you respond to it. Here are some of the ways to help reduce the effects of stress:
* Exercise regularly.
* Work on inproving your time management skills.
* Learn relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation.
* Replace negative thoughts with realistic statements that put things in perspective.
* Write in a journal.
* Consider taking part in a support group.
* Treat yourself well. For example, get yourself a massage.

Good diabetes control will help, too. At your mext office appointment, talk with your health care provider about your treratment plan. If your having trouble following it, (they) can work withy your to make small changes and help you set realistic goals.
When you can take control of your diabetes and stress, you’ll have an easier time relaxing.”

"Keeping Stress in Check";DIABETES OUTLOOK, Summer 2008, p. 3; Optimal/health 730 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067

"NUFF SAID"

A Brutal Attack

I don't think anyone likes to be the butt end of a vicious and brutal verbal attack. No one likes to have bad things said about them. And, no one wants to here that they are imperfect and need to change. Yet, we lambaste ourselves all the time putting ourselves down, criticizing every little thing we do.
Now, we do need to improve and do a little better here and there improving some every day. Its just not necessary for us to be our own worst critics all the time. Lighten up a little on yourself. Realize you are not perfect, but you are doing the very best you can. Just hang in there and keep trying without being so critical when you don't get every thing perfectly right.
"NUFF SAID"

DON'T BE A BUG VICTIM!
Its that time of the year with the stomach bug, chest bug, et. al. floating around, looking for a hapless victim to attack, spreading carnage every every where. But, there are the usual common sense things you can do to help ward off these bugaboos.
1. Eat at least one fresh fruit per day.
2. Wash your hands frequently.
3. Don't take bites or sips of others food or drink.
4. And, please stay away from me if you feel ill.

You will be much less stressed if you can stay well.

"Nuff Said"
Ben Gustafson; LMT